College Ave, Rockridge

Oakland still has a rap for being a sketchy town - which is, in some ways, accurate - but this is the place where you want to live. College Avenue, and Rockridge in general, feels more Berkeley than Oakland and has a much safer reputation.

The street lives up to its name in amenities alone. Among other things, there is a yoga studio, a Crepevine, a taqueria, and an insane amount of cafes, pubs, and other restaurants. The other huge convenience factor here is the Rockridge BART station, which allows you public transportation to anywhere in the Bay Area. They even have free parking on weekends, and $1/day parking on weekdays. I've left my car here overnight and felt completely safe doing so.

Rent is a bit more expensive here than other parts of Oakland, but overall, totally worth it.

I love getting fresh ingredients to make things at home. I especially like finding unique ingredients. Hapuku Fish Shop is one of those great places to shop for fresh and unique food. They have the usual plus live crabs, sushi and other shell fish. There are so many fish to choose from for new dishes to make. They also have some fresh cooked foods available. There is also the Pearl Oyster Bar & Restaurant if you do not want to cook but want a great night out on seafood.